1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a board game and, more specifically, to a method of playing a board game.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Various types of maze board games have been disclosed in the open literature. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,004,810, Henrie ostensibly discloses a maze-type game having a game board segmented into six sections. Each section is used by a different player. All segments have identical, pre-loaded paths printed on a playing surface, and each segment has a different background color. Each path square has a hole for receiving a game piece. An identical number of gate elements are located at identical positions on each section. The gate elements can be opened or closed during game play. The object of the game is to be the first player to arrive at a finishing position on their section.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,057,253, Csoka ostensibly discloses a maze board game wherein each player is provided with a maze board having a grid pattern, a paper maze sheet having the identical grid pattern of the maze board, a pencil for drawing a maze on the maze sheet, a token piece to represent player position on the board, and a plurality of partitions. The board is grooved to allow the partitions to be placed in various locations on the board. Game play begins by each player drawing a maze on the maze sheet, which remains concealed from other players during the course of the game. The players then take turns trying to move their token piece across the maze board. Each time that a player's movement would encroach on a wall, as drawn on the maze sheet, a partition is placed in a groove on the board in a manner that mirrors the wall position on the maze sheet. In this manner, the maze on the maze sheet is “discovered” in a stepwise fashion as the player moves across the board. The first player to reach a pre-designated end point is declared the winner.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,333,878, Calhoun ostensibly discloses a game board having a plurality of game spaces, each surrounded by grooves. Each player is provided with a search piece, a plurality of orbs and a plurality of maze walls. Some of the orbs are “marked” orbs; the remainder are “decoy” orbs. The identity of each orb is printed on its underside. The game begins with each player placing all of his orbs in his section of the game board such that the identity of each orb is concealed on its underside. The players then take turns moving the search pieces across the board in search of the “marked” orbs of opposing players. The maze walls are placed and replaced in various grooves on the board during game play in order to impede the path of opposing players to the orbs. When a search piece reaches a playing space occupied by an orb, that orb is “captured” and removed from the playing board. The last player with a “marked” orb in his maze area is declared the winner.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,464,224, Rosenbaum ostensibly discloses a game board having an array of playing spaces arranged in rows and columns thereon and a plurality of edge regions. Each edge region is disposed between a corresponding pair of playing spaces. There are two visually distinguishable “home” regions pre-loaded onto the board. A plurality of fence pieces are placed in a bag. The players move player pieces in turn across the board in an effort to reach the opposing players home region. A turn typically consists of movement of a player piece upon an adjacent space on the board; withdrawing a fence piece from the bag; and placing the same in one of the edge regions in an effort to impede the progress of the opposing player.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,803,458, Snyder ostensibly discloses a memory game which includes a game board having a plurality of spaces forming a grid. The spaces each have a red, white, or black dot printed thereon. The dots are covered by a playing piece during normal game play. The playing pieces each have a square base and a conical handle. Game play commences with one player lifting one of the playing pieces to reveal the dot beneath. If a black dot is revealed, the player replaces the playing piece and lifts another. If a white dot is revealed, the player replaces the playing piece and another player lifts one of the playing pieces. The game continues in this manner until one of the players uncovers a red dot.
The aforementioned are just samples of the many “maze-type” board games in existence. Most of these games incorporate some form of concealment of various maze elements or variance of the maze path during play to facilitate interest. However, none of these games provide an opportunity to physically construct and conceal a multi-dimensional maze in a manner that allows an opposing player to uncover the maze in a stepwise fashion while the remainder of the maze remains concealed. The fact that so many have tried to provide hidden or randomly determined maze games with multi-dimensional elements evidences a long felt, yet unfulfilled aspiration in the gaming industry to provide a true multi-dimensional hidden maze board game.